What 500 Calories Really Looks Like in Different Foods

What 500 Calories Really Looks Like in Different Foods

Food is at once the most amazing and annoying part of our lives. We have to eat in order to live, and there are so many delicious flavors to enjoy in the world. The problem is that everything we eat has a cost attached to it; not just a monetary cost (although that’s annoying as well), but rather the calorie count of the food we eat that really gets us—especially in the USA.

Making dietary decisions is difficult, but we’re not walking into it blindly. There are guidelines available: the average person (depending on height, weight, age, and level of physical activity) requires between 2000 and 3000 calories. That sounds like a lot, but it’s pretty easy to go over that in a day. Here are some foods that are ~500 calories to assist you in deciding what to eat.

Arby’s Beef ‘n Cheddar Classic w/ 1 tbsp. of Horsey sauce

Arby’s classic sized Beef ‘n Cheddar isn’t quite 500 calories, but once you add just 1 tbsp of Horsey sauce (less than 1 packet), it hits pretty quickly. A small order of curly fries adds another 331 calories to your meal.

Plain Bagel w/ Plain Cream Cheese

Bagels vary in size, but a plain bagel with one 3-oz packet of plain cream cheese will take you around 500-550 calories. If you use another packet of cream cheese (because let’s face it, one is only enough for half a bagel), you’re adding another 291 calories.

Large Belgian Waffle w/ 1.5 tbsp. Maple syrup

Just a Belgian Waffle and a slight drizzle of syrup is enough to hit 500 calories for breakfast. See below for more details on the calorie count of butter

Change to a medium or use 2% (or cream) instead of skim, and you’re adding 200-500 extra calories to this drink.

McDonalds Big Mac

The Big Mac is actually 550 calories, but if you leave a bite or two, you’ll be able to slide under the bar.

Bacon (~ 4 slices)

It only takes 4 slices of bacon to hit 500 calories. Add this to your Belgian waffle & DD Coolatta, and you can easily consume your daily caloric allowance.

Starbucks Venti Caramel Frappuccino w/ 2% milk & whipped cream

Starbucks may be overly sugary, but they run their business with a high level of morals, providing benefits to part-time workers and often overpaying for their coffee beans. If you’re feeling guilty about that DD Coolatta, this is a larger drink for the same 500 calories.